Authorities say four people were killed and another was injured when a car full of teenagers crashed in western New York.
School district officials said three of the dead in Saturday morning’s crash in the town of Burns were Dansville High School students, as was the injured person.
New York state police said a vehicle carrying five people ran a stop sign at a T intersection at 4:30 a.m. and crashed into an embankment and a tree.
The driver and three passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. The fourth passenger was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
Tragic news out of Dansville. Four people killed in a Saturday morning car crash. We have now learned three of them were students at the high school. @13WHAM pic.twitter.com/KNJVfF2DfL
— Andrew Banas (@AndrewWHAM) July 28, 2019
The survivor of the deadly crash was wearing a seat belt, and the others apparently were not, reported NewYorkUpstate.com.
The four teens who died were identified as Rebecca L. Earner, 16, who was the driver; Ambra E. Eddleton, 16; Justin D. Carpenter, 14; and Kyrstin L. Wolfanger, 14.
#BREAKING: Victims identified in fatal crash in Allegany County that killed four Dansville teenagers, including three Dansville High School students:
16-year-old Rebecca L. Earner.
16-year-old Ambra E. Eddleton.
14-year-old Justin D. Carpenter.
14-year-old Krystin L. Wolfanger.— news10nbc (@news10nbc) July 28, 2019
Kelsi A. Bird, 16, is the sole survivor of the accident. She was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester with multiple injuries.
Troopers described Bird’s injuries as non-life-threatening.
The accident is still under investigation. It’s not clear if drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash.
Other details about the case are not clear.
Four teens killed, 1 injured in western New York vehicle crash after running stop sign – Fox News https://t.co/LBNYPJS1Dk
— No Fee News (@nofeenews) July 28, 2019
School Statement
A statement on the Dansville High School website said, “We are deeply saddened to share the tragic news that three Dansville High School students lost their lives early Saturday morning in a motor vehicle accident.”
“A fourth DHS student involved in the accident is reported to be in stable condition at Strong Hospital and is expected to survive. A fifth victim who died was not a DHS student,” the statement continued. “School leaders and counselors will be on hand at DHS on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to support our students, families, and employees.”
The statement from the school continued: “From 10.30am-11am Sunday all DCSD employees are invited to gather in the DHS auditorium. From 11 am to 1 pm DHS students and families are invited to gather together and with counselors, teachers, and staff in the DHS Library. “Gatherings are also scheduled Monday and Tuesday.”
“To make a commemorative suggestion please contact Dave Moodie Assistant High School Principal at 585.335.4000 x1172 or Danielle Edmunds Assistant High School Principal at 585.335.4000 x1000. Suggestions will be brought to the Commemorative Committee.”
Crash Deaths in the United States
Tens of thousands of people are killed and millions injured each year from motor vehicle crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC says these deaths cost more than $380 million in direct medical costs.
The major risk factors for crash deaths in the United States are not using seat belts, car seats, and booster seats (factors in over 9,500 crash deaths); drunk driving (a factor in more than 10,000 crash deaths); and speeding (contributing to more than 9,500 crash deaths).
According to 2017 data from the CDC, the 10 leading causes of death in the United States were: heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, and suicide.
These further break down as follows: the most common are unintentional poisoning deaths (58,335), followed by motor vehicle traffic deaths (40,327), and unintentional fall deaths in third place (34,673).
The total number of emergency department visits for unintentional injuries in the United States in 2017 was 30.8 million, according to the CDC.
The 10 leading causes accounted for 74 percent of all deaths in the United States in 2017.
The Associated Press and Epoch Times reporter Jack Phillips and Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
